Athletics: Bates begins season in fine style

Tori Peeters throws the javelin 50.11m, winning the women's 20-34 years event. Photos by Peter...
Tori Peeters throws the javelin 50.11m, winning the women's 20-34 years event. Photos by Peter McIntish.
Bryn McLeod-Jones tosses the discus.
Bryn McLeod-Jones tosses the discus.
Ben Anderson on his way to a comfortable win in the men's 1500m race.
Ben Anderson on his way to a comfortable win in the men's 1500m race.

Todd Bates (Taieri) started the interclub athletics season in record-breaking style at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday.

In overcast conditions with a chilly southerly breeze, he set an Otago record in the men's 19 years hammer throw, tossing the 7.26kg weight 50.78m with his fifth attempt.

While there was no previous record in the age group with the 7.26kg weight after the athletics body revamped the age categories recently, the Taieri thrower was in fine form.

Bates (20), who is coached by his mother, Raylene, came close to breaking the 50m mark with his fourth throw, 49.94m, before he came up big with his penultimate attempt.

Bryn McLeod-Jones (20) finished behind Bates with a longest throw of 40.79m, one of only two legitimate throws from his six attempts.

Anna Grimaldi (17, Taieri) came within 3cm of breaking her Otago and New Zealand record in the women's 15-17 years para long jump in the F47 class, managing 4.65m with her second and third attempts.

Ben Anderson (23, Caversham) dominated the men's 20-34 years 1500m, clocking 4min 04.66sec.

Anderson, a member of the Caversham team which recorded the fastest time at the Peninsula Relay last month, was in control from the start.

With Anthony Trainor (20, Ariki) and Sam Hopper (20, Caversham) hanging in with about 300m left, Anderson put his foot down and left them in his wake.

Trainor finished almost 12sec in arrears in 4min 16.03sec, while Hopper was third in 4min 30.30sec.

Kirsty O'Sullivan (28, Hill City-University) won the women's 20-34 years 1500m, holding off Bella Bloomfield (22, Hill City-University) and Rosemary Stamm (27, Hill City-University) in a tight finish.

O'Sullivan won in 5min 4.34sec, with Bloomfield not far behind in 5min 06.95sec.

Rory O'Neill (17, Ariki) clocked the fastest 100m time of the day, winning the men's 15-17 years race in 11.53sec, a whisker in front of Felix McDonald (16) and Jacob Granger (16, both from Taieri) in 11.88sec.

Caitlyn George (16, Hill City-University) had the fastest time in the women's 15-17 years 100m race, pipping Christina Ashton (17, Taieri) by 0.3sec in 12.53sec.

- Robert van Royen

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